Katty Xiomara Takes Us on a Parachute Trip
Katty Xiomara’s talent for playful elegance does not disappoint as she takes us on a “Parachute Trip” in her Spring/Summer 2018 collection. Dominated by monochromatic pallets of coral, blush and aqua, along with classic black and white, architectural lines and billowing dresses hint at the ephemeral form of a parachute in flight.
Highlighted by ruffled trim, feminine high-low minis and floor-length gowns, the ready-to-wear collection succeeds in mastering the perfect balance between chroma and texture. Throughout the collection, wide straps and square necklines transition into layers of angled geometric ruffles or vertical stripes that further reference the silhouette of a parachute jumper. Yet Xiomara also allows for looser interpretations of this theme. In more casual looks, flirty high-low ruffle-trimmed shorts are paired with conservative pilgrim-collared tops finished with a bow. Swimwear also makes an appearance as the chic 50’s inspired high-waisted bikini is featured with romantic cover-ups that take seaside fashion to a new level. The collection is a cacophony of unexpected textile collaborations that include crinoline overlays, mattes trimmed with satin or paired with seersucker plaids and custom prints, along with sheer fabrics framed in high-shine silks. Yet, Xiomara’s celebration of surface is successfully balanced by her incorporation of subtle shifts in monochromatic pallets and tonal variations that conjure the image of an early mornings ocean sunrise.
The show, which took place at Pier 59 Studio in New York, featured models wearing clear eye masks that applied the same arching pencil brow and exaggerated lashes found in custom prints of deconstructed parachute symbols and playful pink flamingos. Yet all playfulness aside, the attention is truly in the details in this exquisitely tailored and visually rich adventure into Xiomara’s vision that captures the freedom and lightness of floating through air.
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Stacy Seiler is the Art Editor of Irk Magazine, joining the publication in August 2016. An accomplished artist, designer, writer and Assistant Professor at Parsons School for Design, Stacy has been a pioneer in the design industry since 1997. She began her career as a web designer and programmer focused on the corporate identity and branding of Fortune 500 companies including: FOX, News Corporation, AIG and McGraw-Hill.
For the past 11 years, Stacy has lectured on topics of Design Iteration, Typography, Information Visualization, Fashion and Fine Art at the esteemed Parsons School of Design, while balancing her time as a Contributing Writer of Arts and Culture at Downtown Magazine and a Docent of History and Preservation at Judd Foundation in New York City.
Through her research and drawings, Stacy’s art practice focuses on preserving the cultural past of New York City and beyond by exploring current issues of neglect and decay surrounding industrial architecture and its iconic connection to working-class communities. She has exhibited both nationally and internationally over the past 15 years.
Stacy graduated from the Maryland Institute College of Art, with a BFA in Fine Arts and a Minor in Art History. She received her MFA in Fine Arts from Parsons. Her work can be found on stacyseiler.com along with her daily musings on Instagram
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